I first became aware of the kaleidoscope of Messianic names and connections embedded in the Breastplate of the High Priest in 2005 after reading John Tng's article on fivedoves.com titled "The Gospel in the Stones". Additional discoveries since that article have only added to the interest. https://www.fivedoves.com/tng/gospelinstone.htm
Scripture abounds in deep sayings and in riddles.In 1997 , the late Ian Mallet, a professor in Wales, England was examining an Old Testament "hidden riddle" relating to the Breastplate of the High Priest. His initial discovery that the name of the Messiah was plainly engraved on the Breastplate, led to a multitude of subsequent , additional revelations --- the name "Jesus", "Jesus Christ", "Jesus Messiah", etc, etc was everywhere engraved on precious stones adorning that garment. In both Hebrew and in Greek !
There are two riddles connected to the Breastplate. One in Exodus and another in Luke. In Exodus 28 Moses recorded the Lord's instructions in the making of this outer garment. It was a piece of cloth, approximately 9 inches by 18 inches , then the long portion doubled over to form a pouch so that it was then a square of 9x9. The edges were sown to secure the pouch which would contain two stones called the urim and the thumim... One stone of these two was "yes" (a white stone ?) the other was "no" (black stone ?) and the priest could know God's will by drawing out one stone. These two stones were "hidden" from view in the pouch.The front of the Breastplate was highly embroidered and described in detail EXCEPT for one most important thing.... and that critical one thing is the Exodus riddle which puzzled Ian Mallet. Each of the sons of Jacob was to have his name ENGRAVED on 12 precious stones (the stones are named) and arranged in order of the birth of Jacob's sons. Oldest to youngest in other words. Three names per row and four rows deep ; 12 names total.This seems pretty straightforward as Jacob had 12 sons although they are not named here in Exodus 28.
So what is the riddle in Exodus ? Well in Genesis 48 , Jacob had not seen his son Joseph for many years. Joseph was ruler of Egypt , married to an Egyptian, and had two sons by her, (Genesis 41:50-52) Manasseh and Ephriam. In Genesis 48:5 Jacob adopts his two grandsons and makes them his OWN sons. His grandsons became his sons by adoption. So 12 sons is now 14 sons with two by adoption. Who gets left off the Breastplate front which has 12 stones and 12 names ? Scripture has no answer (apparently) or does it ? Fourteen stones (two hidden in the pouch) and 14 sons. Which 12 are on the front , their names engraved on stones ?
There is a second riddle in the New Testament which seems to be connected to the Breastplate. The High Priest who condemned Jesus to death was Caiaphas. Jesus was silent , he "held his piece" as Caiaphas questioned him. Caiaphas said "tell us , whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. " He could have drawn out from the two stones inside the breastplate. He did not. Then Jesus replied "Thou hast said it" as he is looking at his own name "Jesus" engraved multiple times on the stones on the Breastplate. Mt 26:63. How is that ? Aren't the names Jacob's sons ?
Just hours before this confrontation with Caiaphas Jesus had ridden a donkey into the city as the crowd cried out his name, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" Luke 19:38. The Pharisees said "Master , rebuke thy disciples " But Jesus replied "if these should hold their piece, the stones would immediately cry out" Luke 19:40. What stones ? Could these possibly be the same stones he would be facing within hours on the breastplate of Caiaphas ? Stones engraved with Messiah's name , HIS NAME ? A multitude of direct connections to him ? His name ? His words ? His Messianic titles ? All on the Breastplate..... Crying out....
God created mankind in His image with the unique ability to communicate. Primarily, man communicates verbally or in written form. There was originally only one single language.(thought to be Hebrew). In Genesis 11 at Babel, we see that men determined to build a tower up into heaven --to work their way into heaven -- and God was displeased and He confounded their language. Gen 11:7. This was a great miracle. God instantly created multiple languages while simultaneously disabling men from knowing their former tongue.These new languages (think , Latin and it's derivatives: English, French, Portuguese, then Chinese, Arabic, etc) scripture connects in Genesis 11 to "confusion", "confounded", "may not understand", and "Babel".
There are, according to Wikipedia, about 7,000 languages. Probably, about 800 major languages. They are all ---with two exceptions--- bifurcated languages , meaning that they use two systems to communicate. One system is normally an alphabet or similar system to communicate words and names. The second system is a numbering system for communicating quantity, prices, time, dates, distances, speed, and accounting. Even the elements that compose the universe, the Periodic Table of Elements, is based on weights , numbers.
This dual system seems to make sense, for numbers are different from words and names , yet scripture connects dual system languages to "confusion" ,"may not understand", and "babel", communication that make no sense. And the two exceptions, two languages that are NOT bifurcated are the two languages of scripture, Hebrew and Greek. They stand alone in that they are unified. They do not have separated numbering systems and instead use their alphabet for counting and numbering as well as for words and names. Both Hebrew and Greek alphabets are numbers." A" is "1" , "B" is "2", etc When you reach the tenth letter, the value increases 10, then 20, 30 etc. The final letters are hundreds, big numbers. The letters are not connected to the number, they ARE the number. So when you see a Hebrew or Greek word or name it always is a number. Just add up the letters , which are really numbers. But this seems like nonsense ! ! Words and names make sense. Converting them to a number seems meaningless.... or is it ? Why did God select the only two languages with such a curious, unified numbering system to communicate his WORD to man ? Out of 800 languages He picks Hebrew and Greek ? See more from Leo Tavares on alphabets and languages --- https://sites.google.com/site/alphagematria/atomic-alphabet
Ian Mallet, the professor in Wales, England, did the conversion of Jacob's son's names into numbers. As a math teacher he had no problem in adding. The only issue was what 12 names belonged on the breastplate. There seems to be no record of what names were actually used. Commentaries use Jacob's natural sons, ignoring Ephriam and Manasseh. However, those were two of the 12 tribes. And Joseph got a double portion through his two offspring. There is no tribe of Joseph. Also, Levi did not receive land in Canaan , but was given the priesthood and custody of scripture. So both Levi and Joseph seem in a sense, "hidden" in Canaan. Like the two stones in the pouch of the Breastplate.
Jesus in Greek is Ιησούς or adding the letters is 888. No one would claim that the number 888 is the name Jesus. Numbers are not words nor are they names. BUT.... in Hebrew and Greek the name is intimately connected in a way that no other language does.The Messiah was resurrected on day 8, on the 3rd day . The Greek number 888 is Ιησούς... "Jesus". Are you confused yet ? The name and number are the same, inextricably connected, yet different ?So here are the Hebrew numbers from the Hebrew names, Jacob's sons, on the breastplate . The oldest son (Reuben-259) is top right (Hebrew reads right to left)
30 466 2597 570 54
95 830 501
331 395 162
Ian Mallet noticed that the bottom row totaled 888 - "Jesus" in Greek ! John Tng calls this the "foundation of the breastplate". Jesus. ONE54The row above plus the "54" totals 1480 or "Christ" in Greek. 95 830 501TWO
But , this is not a single line like the bottom row, instead being shaped like a man lying prone. A man prone is either asleep or dead in most cases. and both possibilities connect directly to the Messiah ! Messiah will die for the sins of men. And Jacob will sleep prone. THREE
A prone figure asleep also points to Jacob's amazing dream of Messiah in Genesis 28 which is addressed in more detail below.
The top row totals 755 , "Jesus Christ" in Hebrew ! FOUR
This leaves an insert block of 577 ( 570 + 7 ) which John Tng noted in his 2005 article was "Repairer of the Breach" , a Messianic title, found in only two scriptures .... Isaiah 58:12 and Amos 9:11And Isaiah 58:12 is Chapter 737 . Amos 9 is chapter 888 ( 888 is"Jesus" in Greek AGAIN). Peter Bluer ( peter@biblemaths.com ) even has a book (373 : A Proof Set in Stone) in print connecting numbers 737, 373, and 37 to "Jesus". Two Messianic chapter numbers -- FIVE / SIX
Now Aaron B Cohen noticed another intriguing design in the breastplate. If you add up every other number on the breastplate it totals 1,850 . Both the even numbers and the odd ! !
30
466466
259
7777
570
54
95
83830
501
331
395
162
So..... in black.... 259 + 30 + 570 + 501 + 95 + 395 = 1,850And ..... in white...466 + 54 + 7 + 830 +162 + 331 = 1,850The grand total is 1,850 + 1,850 = 3,700 . A week after I had read Mr Cohen's article I heard someone on the radio mention that the recorded words of Jesus in scripture ( sometimes printed in red) were a total of 1,850 verses. I attempted to confirm this, calling the speaker and then by personal count. The radio speaker said it was common knowledge. My personal count indicates that if you count verses where the majority of words are of Christ , and do not count duplicate verses .... this appears to be correct ---1,850 verses. A double connection ! ! Here is Mr Cohen's article -- https://www.fivedoves.com/revdrnatch/breastplate.htm SEVEN / EIGHT
There are still more designs. For example, if you add the top three rows the total is 2,812. The first time 2812 is found in scripture is Genesis, chapter 28 verse 12 . Amazingly , this verse is Jacob's dream of Messiah as he lies prone in the dust ( the breastplate, third row down is a figure lying prone ) , surrounded by stones , his head resting upon the stones. The connection is unmistakeable to the breastplate where Jacob's 12 sons , their names engraved on 12 stones, all are tied to the Messiah. Jacob's dream is of a ladder which descends from heaven downward and angelic figures are both ascending and descending that ladder. The ladder is like living scripture (" the Word was with God, and the Word was God" , The Messiah (John 1:1 and especially 1:51). Originally, scripture was written on scrolls and two wooden dowels were placed parallel, not touching ( like a ladder, two parallel side pieces not touching ) the dowels were to roll up the text. This is like a ladder as the words of scripture become the ladder's cross connections , crossing the page, as the foot and hand holds we must use to climb toward God . NINE
For more breastplate studies and designs see also Vernon Jenkins .... http://www.whatabeginning.com/Breastplate/Oracle/P.htmCaiphais , the High Priest , should have known who Jesus was. He should have known the date of Messiah's coming as the prophet Daniel had given the exact day and exact year Messiah would arrive. Dan 9:24-27. And exactly on time, He arrived in Jerusalem on "this thy day". Luke 19:41:42. But Caiaphas had no interest in calculating Daniel's day or year. Nor did he consult the two stones inside the Breastplate. And Messiah's names even adorned 12 precious stones much like myriad flowers adorn a Spring garden.....
Who could design such a myriad, complex klaidescope of names arranged by birth order and fixed to a unique numbering system ? All this was done years in advance of the advent of Jesus. Yet there it is. God is real. No wonder the Old Testament prophet Daniel refers to the Messiah as "Palmoni" , the Wonderful Numberer.......